Stand for a walking stick and crutches

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for depositing longish stick-type articles of daily use such as especially, walking aids, crutches, umbrellas, walking sticks used for hiking and similar in an upright or essentially vertical position. Said device has a base plate ( 7 ), at least one detachably connectable tubular element ( 3, 5 ) and a fixing mechanism ( 11 ) for detachably fixing said tubular element ( 3, 5 ) to the base plate ( 7 ). There are preferably at least two tubular elements ( 3, 5 ) arranged side by side as an identical pair, so that each can hold at least one stick-type object such as e.g., one crutch of a pair, respectively.

This invention relates to a device for the upright i.e. essentiallyvertical storage of elongated, stick-shaped objects such as walkingsticks, canes, crutches, umbrellas, hiking staffs and the like, and to awalking-stick and crutch stand incorporating such a device.

Handicapped or elderly persons often face the problem of not knowing howand where to deposit their cane or crutches at a doctor's office, at arestaurant etc. More often than not these walking aids are laid flat onthe floor, constituting a hazard for other people.

This very problem has prompted the inventor of the innovation herepresented, Mr. Hans Oetiker, to come up with a solution to thisunacceptable situation.

When visiting his physician, Mr. Oetiker, himself handicapped due to ahip operation, witnessed an accident with tragic consequences in thedoctor's waiting room. In the absence of a better place, a patient inthe waiting room laid his crutches flat on the floor, another patienttripped over these crutches and sustained serious injuries. As a resultof that accident that person then had to undergo an operation which hedid not survive. In view of that incident Mr. Oetiker then conducted asearch for devices that would allow safe placement of walking aids andcrutches. The racks and stands he found such as those made by BinderRehab Home and Hospital Supplies of CH-5612 Villmergen/AG or by HansAchermann Foundries and Metalworks of CH-5122 Menznau/LU turned out tobe too heavy (about 6.5 to 11 lbs.), too bulky and too awkward tohandle. No wonder, then, that these commercially available stands arehardly being used for instance for crutches at doctor's offices, inrestaurants, in public buildings etc.

It has therefore been an objective of this invention to introduce adevice for holding such objects as walking aids and crutches, allowingeasy manipulation while avoiding the drawbacks of the racks and standscurrently on the market.

According to the invention this objective is achieved by means of adevice as described in claim 1.

The proposed solution is a device for the upright, essentially verticalplacement of elongated, stick-shaped objects such as the above-mentionedwalking aids, crutches, umbrellas, hiking staffs and the like,characterized by the following features:

a baseplate

at least one tubular element that can be detachably connected to thebaseplate, and

a retaining element that holds the minimum of one tubular elementdetachably on the baseplate.

In a preferred design version, at least two tubular elements areprovided which, extending side-by-side in twin fashion, can eachaccommodate at least one stick-shaped object such as the aforementionedcrutch.

The baseplate preferably features positioning aids such as pins, lugs,detents and/or the like serving to hold the tubular element or elementsin a position preferably centered on the baseplate.

In a preferred design variation, at least one punched-in prominence, itsdiameter essentially matching the inner diameter of one of the tubes,projects from the baseplate and is preferably tapered so as to cause theprominence to guide the respective tube into its proper position on thebaseplate.

In addition, the tubular element or juxtapositioned twin tubes is/areprovided with at least one guide channel or guide tube through which arod-shaped retaining element can be installed. The baseplate is providedwith a socket in which the front end of the rod-shaped retaining elementcan be inserted, which front end can be locked in place in the saidsocket by way of a thread, a bayonet-type slide catch or a similarlocking feature.

The rod-shaped retaining element may consist for instance of two partsincluding a first rod section with a threaded end and, at the far endfrom the threaded end, a stop collar which, bearing on the guide tube atthe far end away from the baseplate, serves to clamp the tubular elementor elements against the baseplate. If an additional rod section is used,it can be detachably screwed or plugged into the first section, with theadditional rod section preferably featuring a lifting provision at itsend.

The upper opening of the tubular element(s) is preferably chamferedrelative to the longitudinal axis of the tube and is provided with atleast one perforation in the wall of the tube(s) near the upper openingby means of which the tube(s) can be mounted for instance on a wallusing a suitable fastener such as a screw, a hook or the like.

The characterizing features of other preferred design variations of thedevice according to this invention are specified in the subclaims.

As mentioned above, the device per this invention lends itself inparticular to the accommodation or depositing of walking aids andcrutches. However, the device according to the invention can serveequally well for holding umbrellas, hiking staffs and other oblongobjects.

The following implementation examples will serve to explain thisinvention in more detail with reference to the attached drawings inwhich

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a device per this invention in itsassembled state;

FIGS. 2a and 2 b are top and, respectively, side views of a baseplatedesign variation of the device per FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrowI—I;

FIGS. 3a and 3 b are top and, respectively, side views of anotherbaseplate design variation along the line II—II;

FIG. 4 is a perspective rear view of two tubes mounted twin-style on abaseplate;

FIG. 5 shows a two-part retaining rod for attaching the tubes to thebaseplate;

FIG. 6 is a perspective rear view of an assembled device according tothe invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates the device per this invention, disassembled forshipment; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective front view of a twin-tube assembly mounted withfasteners against a wall.

FIG. 1 is a perspective frontal view of a device according to theinvention, in this case a walking-stick stand 1 capable of accommodatingat least one pair of crutches. The walking-stick/crutch stand 1encompasses tubular twin holders i.e. tubes 3 and 5 that are firmlyattached to each other and to a baseplate 7. To ensure positionallycorrect retention of the two tubes 3 and 5 on the baseplate 7, the frontend of the baseplate 7 is provided, at the connecting point with the twotubes, with a punched-out boss-type locating lug 9, more clearlyillustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2 b. On the back side of the baseplate 7 thetwo tubes 3 and 5 are attached via a retaining rod 11.

FIGS. 2a and 2 b show a design variation of the baseplate 7 featuringthe above-mentioned lug 9 in front and a threaded socket 13 situated inthe rearward mounting area for the two tubes 3 and 5, indicated in FIG.2a by a dotted outline.

Especially in FIG. 2b, the projecting locator lug 9 is clearlyillustrated, as is the threaded socket 13 that may be inserted forinstance in a perforation of, or embedded in, the baseplate 7.

FIGS. 3a and 3 b show another design variation of the baseplate inwhich, in lieu of the forward lug 9, two punched-out projections 15 and17, approximately matching the inner diameter of the two tubes 3 and 5,are provided in addition to the threaded socket 13. The outer rim 14 ofthese two projections is preferably tapered as is clearly indicatedespecially in FIG. 3b. FIG. 3b is a lateral view in the direction of thearrow 1-1, hence the two projections 15 and 17 are lined up one behindthe other and only one projection is visible.

FIG. 4 is a perspective rear view of the two tubes 3 and 5, plugged intothe baseplate 7, without the retaining rod. Clearly identifiable in FIG.4 is a tubular guide 19 through which extends the retaining rod that isillustrated in FIG. 5 in the unmounted state. As an example, theretaining rod 11 may consist of two parts as shown in FIG. 5. A first,lower retaining rod section 21 may be provided at its front end with athread 23 allowing it to be mounted in the matching threaded socket 13.The bottom rod section 21 is slipped through the tubular guide 19, witha collar 25 butting against the upper end of the guide 19 and serving toclamp the two tubes 3 and 5 firmly against the baseplate 7 when the rod21 is screwed into the threaded socket 13. At its end the lowerretaining rod 21 is provided with an additional, preferably corrugatedprotuberance 27 that is preferably provided with a perforation 28. Thelatter will be discussed further below.

The first rod section can be screwed with its threaded end 31 into asecond retaining rod 29 whose upper end may be provided with a liftinghandle 33, allowing the assembled device per this invention to be easilylifted off the floor and carried.

FIG. 6 is a perspective rear view of the device 1 of this invention inits assembled state, with the retaining rod 11 inserted and screwed in.Also shown in FIG. 6 are two perforations 35 and 37, preferably punchedinto the upper section of the two tubes 3 and 5 and serving thefunctional purpose discussed in more detail with reference to FIG. 8.

If the device per FIG. 1 or FIG. 6 is to be disassembled, the tworetaining rod sections 21 and 29 can be unscrewed from the threadedsocket 13. First, the upper rod section 29 is removed, then the lowerrod section, in the process of which the counterpressure exerted by thecollar 25 butting against the upper part of the guide tube 19 resiststhe unscrewing of the lower rod section. The previously detached upperrod section 29 can now be inserted through the perforation 28, and byusing leverage action it is now possible to easily unscrew the lower rodsection 21 from the threaded socket 13.

Once the rods are removed, the two tubes 3 and 5 can be easily liftedoff the baseplate 7 and, as is manifest in FIG. 7, the entire device canbe stored with a minimum of space requirements. In its disassembledstate per FIG. 7, the device according to the invention can beeffortlessly carried in a bag, a briefcase or the like. Especially whenthe device per this invention is made for instance of aluminum, itsweight can be held below 2.2 lbs., so that carrying the device per thisinvention around poses no problem. Of course, it is not imperative thatthe device be made from aluminum. It is equally possible, for example,to produce the baseplate from iron and the plug-in tubes from a plasticsubstance, for instance a fiber-reinforced synthetic material.

However, by means of the two perforations 35 and 37 shown in FIG. 6, itis also possible to hang the two tubes 3 and 5 on wall mounts such asscrews 41 as illustrated in FIG. 8. In lieu of the screws shown it isequally possible to use hooks or other fasteners. In the case of woodenwalls 43 wood screws will serve the purpose, while in the case ofconcrete walls off-the-shelf wall anchors can be used.

In place of the twin tubes 3 and 5 it is also possible, of course, touse one single tube only, or two mutually attachable and separable tubesthat may be laterally plugged, clipped or snapped together viaappropriate quick-connect provisions.

It goes without saying that the devices illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 onlyrepresent design examples of this invention serving to explain theinvention in more detail. Evidently, the designs may be altered,modified or complemented by additional elements in any form or fashionwhatsoever. For example, it is not at all necessary to produce therod-shaped retaining element 11 in two parts; it may equally well bedesigned as one part or in three or more parts. Alternatively, therod-shaped retaining element may be so designed that the upper section29 by itself can be used for fastening the two tubes 3 and 5 to thebaseplate 7 in that, for example, the protuberance 30 bears down on theupper end of the guide tube 19 as the threaded front end 31 engages inthe threaded socket 13 in the baseplate 7. The upper ends of the tubesmay be chamfered or straight, they may have a closed or, as shown inFIGS. 1 to 8, an open bottom. The choice of materials as well is of noparticular significance, as long as the device per this inventionpermits the stable, positionally steady placement of walking aids,crutches and similar objects which requires a certain intrinsic weightof the device.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for holding a stick-shaped object in anupright position comprising: a base; a holder detachably mounted on saidbase for holding said object; a projection protruding from said base,the projection having an outer shape matching an inner shape of saidholder to position the projection on the base; a retaining rod having alower end adapted to engage a socket provided on said base for removablyfixing said holder to the base; and a guide sleeve mounted on saidholder and adapted to permit said retaining rod to pass through theguide sleeve, the retaining rod having a collar portion adapted toengage said guide sleeve when the lower end of the retaining rod isfixed in said socket.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the lower end ofsaid retaining rod and said socket are threaded.
 3. The device of claim2, wherein said retaining rod includes a lower section provided withsaid collar portion, and an upper section fastened to the lower sectionand having a portion adapted to engage a transverse bore provided insaid sleeve portion to assist unfastening of the lower section from saidsocket.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein an upper end of said retainingrod, in an assembled condition of the device, projects above an upperend of said holder and is formed with a handle.
 5. The device of claim1, further comprising a pair of releasably interconnected holdersmounted side by side.
 6. A device for holding stick-shaped objects in anupright position comprising: a base; a pair of interconnected holdersdetachably mounted on said base, each for holding one of said objects; aprojection protruding from said base to position said holders on saidbase by engaging a portion between said interconnected holders; aretaining rod having a lower end adapted to engage a socket provided onsaid base for removably fixing said holders to said base; and a guidesleeve mounted on said holders and adapted to permit said retaining rodto pass through the guide sleeve, said retaining rod having a collarportion adapted to engage said guide sleeve when the lower end of theretaining rod is fixed in said socket.
 7. The device of claim 6, whereinsaid holders are releasably interconnected.
 8. The device of claim 6,wherein the lower end of said retaining rod and said socket arethreaded.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said retaining rod includesa lower section provided with said collar portion, and an upper sectionfastened to the lower section and having a portion adapted to engage atransverse bore provided in guide sleeve to assist unfastening of thelower section from said socket.
 10. The device of claim 6, wherein anupper end of said retaining rod, in an assembled condition of thedevice, projects above an upper end of said holder and is formed with ahandle.